Page 26 of The Billionaire and His Forever

Mary and Esmeralda go to the kitchen to finish packing up the food, and Abbie comes down minutes later in her riding gear.

“I figured if Jude was involved, horses were also involved,” Abbie says. “Was I wrong?”

“You’re an excellent guesser.” I rest my hand on her lower back and kiss her cheek.

“Here’s your picnic,” Mary says, bustling over to me with the heavy basket.

Abbie grins. “Picnic? I’m liking this already.”

“Come onnnnn.” Jude grabs our hands and leads us to the stables, where Lucy, Desi, and Daisy are all outfitted with fresh ribbons that Jude braided into their manes for the occasion.

The whole ride to the tree, my stomach is in knots. I know this is what I want, but I can’t help wondering if it’s also what Abbie wants. My self-doubt only gets stronger as we ride up to the tree, and Abbie gasps at the sight of all the flowers, lights, and ribbons surrounding us.

“Oh my God. What is this?”

Jude dismounts from Desi and claps her hands. “It’s magic!”

I tie up the horses and help Abbie off her horse, taking her hand. “Do you like it?”

“I love it. This is a dream,” Abbie says. She looks up at me. “You did all this? For me?”

“Jude did most of it.” I grin. “I helped.”

I lead her to the center of all the flowers, right under the tree, and clear my throat.

“Abbie Montgomery, you mean the world to me. You are my sun and my stars. You are the very air I breathe.” As I say the words, my nerves recede. Everything fades away until I can only see Abbie. Well, her and Jude, who stands next to us watching, jumping up and down with her hands clasped into excited little fists. “You’ve brought joy and love to this house again. And now, we can’t imagine it without you.”

I drop to one knee and withdraw the ring from my pocket. It’s a classic, late Victorian daisy ring, comprised of a 3-carat antique cushion cut diamond set in a halo of smaller diamonds.

“This was passed down to me by my grandmother. I’ve held onto it my whole life, hoping I’d someday find the right woman to wear it, and I can imagine no one else but you.”

Abbie gasps, hands going to her cheeks, staring at the pair of us Ratliffs in shock.

Smiling, I ask her, “Abbie Montgomery, will you marry me?”

Chapter Eleven

Abbie

I’m standingin the middle of a dream come to life, surrounded by my favorite people and my favorite flowers, in my favorite spot in the world. My heart is in my throat and my eyes are starting to mist over with tears and every inch of me is floating off the ground justthinkingabout what Graham has asked me. Heaven. I’m in literal heaven.

The man I love rests on one knee at my feet, a gorgeous diamond ring glittering at me from its velvet box, his usually stern face laid bare in love and trust. Jude bounces behind him, a flower crown on her head, clapping and grinning like we’re at a horse show. And then there’s me, surrounded by all this love, struck speechless with overwhelm.

Is this really my life right now?

“Say yes, Abbie,” Jude coaxes. As if I need to be coaxed.

The euphoria inside me is bubbling over, and I have to let out a laugh. “Oh my God, Graham. Yes.Yes. Of courseI’ll marry you!”

I’ve barely gotten the words out before Graham scoops me up in his arms and kisses me, twirling us in a slow circle amidst the blooms. Our first kiss as an engaged couple. It’s delicious.

Behind us, Jude cheers and starts dancing around. I start laughing again, because I can’t help it. This is the most magical moment of my life and I never want to forget it. I want these images imprinted on my mind for all time.

“I love you,” Graham says, his voice cutting through my reverie. He sets me down and gently slides the ring onto my finger and it feels so official now, I can feel my heart racing. Graham and I areengaged. “I love you so much, Abbie.”

“I love you,” I murmur against his lips, almost afraid to look at the ring again because it means so much to him, and is such a magnificent display of love, that I’m afraid I’ll start crying. “I love you more than anything.”

“Except me!” Jude chimes in, rushing us for a hug.

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